Elemer meitner



E. NIEITNER. SINGLE GYRO STABILIZED PENDULUM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6,1917- Patented Dec. 9,1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET E. IVIEITNER.

SINGLE GYRO STABILIZED PENDULUM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6. 191.

1,324,128. Patented Dec. 9,1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- ELEMER MEITNER Mm W unirnn s'rA stir carton.

ELEMER MEITNER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO SFERRY GYROSCOPE COMPANY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SINGLE-GYRO-STABILIZED PENIDULUM.

I Specification of Letters IPatent.

Patented Dec. 9, 1919.

' Application filed April 6, 1917. Serial No. 160,181.

subject of the King of Hungary, residing at 138 Montague street, Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Singlero-Stabilized Pendulums, of which the f0 lowing is a specification.

. This invention has tor its object the provision-of means whereby a reference line or plane may be held at a fixed angle with respect to the surface of the earth under all conditions. More specifically it relates to means for stabilizing a reference line or plane on an unstable vehicle, whereby the vehicle may be stabilized. My invention is, however, independent of the means to control the stability of the vehicle from. the stabilized plane and furthermore it is not limited to such use but is adapted for use as an inclinometer and other purposes.

The basis of the invention is a pendulum, the stability of which is increased by a single gyroscope. While pendulums of all types, especially those stabilized by gyroscopes, will maintain a fixed reference plane on a body which is merely tilted or which moves in a straight line at a uniform velocity, they become useless when mounted on a body which moves so as to cause acceleration pressures, such as those due to starting or stopping, turning in azimuth or turning up or down. My invention overcomes these defects by the means which will now be described in detail a Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same with parts broken away.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of a different form of my invention.

Fig. 4 is a diagram of electrical connections applicable to either form of my invention, and

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of certain of the arts of the form of invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and-2 and taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 2. l

The form of my invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a single rotor or gyroscopic wheel mounted with three degrees of freedom on a supportshown as a pair of Cardan rings 1 2 pivoted in suitable brackets such as the-brackets 3, 3. The gyroscope designated generally as 4, is shown connected to one of the Cardan rings 2 so as to have three degrees of freedom with respect to said ring. Such connections may take the form illustrated in Fig. 2 in which a downwardly extending U-shaped member 5 is fixed to the inner ring 2 and has pivoted thereto, at 6 and 7, a ring 8. The last mentioned ri pivotally carries the gyro 4 at pivots 9 an 10, the axis 910 being at an angle, shown as a right angle, to the axis 6-7 and the gyro 4 normally spinning about a vertical axis. Suitable centralizin means is provided for the gyro, one em odiment of such means being springs 11, 11, 12 and 12, shown in Figs. 2 and 5. These springs each have one end secured to the bottom end of the gyro and the springs 12, 12 have the other ends secured to the member 5 while the other ends of springs 11, 11 are secured to two extensions 13, 13 of the member 5.

To overcome and eliminate the efi'ect of acceleration pressures I use, what 1 term, force applying means controlled by precession of the gyro about either or both of its precession axes 67 or 9-10, said force ap plying means being designed to oppose an external force or forces and being described more in detail hereinafter.

Suitable means are employed, according to my invention, to make use of the precession of the gyro to control the force applying mechanism and such means may take the form of electricalcontacts as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. For utilizing precession about the axis 9--10 a disk 16 of insulation may be secured to the frame of the gyro 4: and a contact 14 mounted on but insulated from the ring 8. The disk 16 is shown as carrying two contact segments 15 and 17' spaced apart and consequently insulated from each other. In the normal position of the gyro 4 the contact 1 L engages the insulating disk 16 but upon precession of the gyro about the axis 9.10 one or the other of the contacts 15, 17 will be brought into engagement with the contact 14: depending on the direction of precession. Similar contact means 14, 15, 16 and 17 are provided to utilize precession about the Ill axis 67. The last mentioned contacts may be identical to contacts 14, 15' and 17 except that contact 14 is mounted on the memlber 5 and the disk 16 mounted on the ring 8.

The previously mentioned force applying. means may assume various forms, one of.

to 21, inclusive, may be provided for applying a torque about the pivotal axis of the rim 2.and if it is desired to'fix the motor 18 wit respect to the base 22 as in Figs. 1 and 2 suitable means for connecting the segmental gear 21' with the pendulum. are employed. Such means may take the form illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 in which a swinging bail or loop' 23, carrying the segmental gear 21', is pivotally mounted in journal brackets 24, 25 secured to the base 22. The bail 23 is shown as provided with a channel 26 in which a roller 27 secured to the bottom of the U-shaped member 5 is adapted to travel.

One form of control of the motors 18, 18' I by the contacts 14, 15 and 17 and 14', 15'

" and 17' is indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 4. The contacts 14', 15' and 17' are adapted to cause rotation of the motor 18' in one direction or the other depending on the direction of precession of the gyro 4 about axis 910. One form of .motor which adapts itself readily to the above mentioned control is indicated diagram matically as 18' in Fig. 4. This motor comprises an armature, 28' having one brush 31' connected to one end of the oppositely wound field coils 29' and 30'. The other ends of said coils 29' and 30 are shown as connected to the contact se ents 17' and 15 respectively by meanso conductors 33' and 34 The contact 14' and brush 32' may be connected to opposite source of E.-M. F., suc

has of a suitable as a battery B by means of conductors 35' and 36' respectively. Similarly the motor 18 may be controlled by contacts 14, 15 and 17, the parts and connections being-identical with those for motor 18' and desi ated by the same reference characters with the prime removed.

The operation of my invention, as thus far disclosed, is as follows: Assumin that the gyro rotor is being constantly in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1 and riven that an external force is applied at the point 27 tending to move this polnt down into the sheet as viewed in Fig. 2, the gyro 4 being acted upon through one of the springs 11, V

.19, 20, 21 and hail 23 to the point 27 opposing the torque due to the external force.

and causing the gyro 4 to precess back to its normal position. Similarly an external force applied at the point 27 but in a reverse direction to that first assumed will cause counter-clockwise precession of the gyro and energization of the motor 18 through the engagement of contacts 15, 14' to cause the motor 18' to rotate in an opposite direction, as the opposite field 30' is now energized.

Any external force actin at the point 27 in the plane of the sheet ig. 2) W111 cause precession of the gyro 4 about its axis 6-7 to cause the motor 18 to oppose this force and cause the gyro to precess back to normahposition in a manner similar to the operatlon above described for motor 18" and its control.

From the above description it is obvious that the plane of the ring 2 will be stabilized and thisstabilized plane may be used in various ways and for various purposes. For example the rings 1 and 2 may control contacts adapted to be used to control the stabilization of, an aeroplane. Thus the ring 1 may carry" a disk 40 of insulation on which are mounted spaced apart contact segments 41 and 42, and a cooperating contact 43 may be mounted on, but insulated from, the top of one of the brackets 3. Normally the contact 43 is between the segments 41 and 42 but relative movement of the ring 1 and the'base 22 would cause one or the other of segments 41 or 42 to engage contact 43. Similarly the bail 26 may be provided with a disk 40' of insulation bearing conthe bracket 25 may carry a contact 43' sim' ilar to the contact 43. The contacts 43' etc. would be'actuated by relative movement of the ring 2 and base 22 about the axis 24-25. While I am aware that a single motor and clutches might be employed as the force applying. means, I prefer to illustrate the means shown. It is to be understood that my invention may be modified in various ways. For example, if it is desired to dis pense with the bail the physical embodiment of the invention may take the form 1! tacts identical, to segments 41 and 42 and shown in Fig. 3 are similar to that of the form first described and nov additional ex planation is necessary. 7

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have herein described the.

principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus, which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means. Also, while it is designed to use the various features and elements in the combination and relations described, some of these may be altered and others omitted without interfering with the more general results outlined, and the invention extends to such use.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a gyroscopic apparatus, a univer sally mounted support, a gyroscope mounted on said support so as to stabilize it about its horizontal axes of support, and means responsive to precession of said gyroscope for causing a torque to be exerted about either of said axes.

2. In a gyroscopic apparatus, a ivoted support, which, together with the mec anism it supports, is pendulous, a single gyroscope mounted on said support and means controlled by said gyroscope for eliminating the 7 effect of pressure on said support.

3. In a gyroscopic stabilizing system, a pendulous support, means for exerting a torque on saids'upport about an axis, means for exerting a torque on sai support about a second axis at an angle to said first-mentioned axis, and a single gyroscope for controlling both of said means.

4. In a gyroscopic stabilizing system, a pendulous support, means for exerting a torque on said support about a plurality of axes an a single gyroscope mounted for precessionalmovement with relation to said support, said gyroscope controlling said means. I

5. In a gyroscopic pendulum, a single gyroscope, means for causing precession of said gyroscope about one axis, and means for causing precession of about an axis at an angle to said first named axis both of said means being brought into operation by precession of said gyroscope.

6. In combination, a universally mounted said gyroscope pendulum, force applying means for opposing external acceleration pressures on said pendulum exerted in any direction in a horizontal plane, and a single gyroscope mounted for precessional movement with relation to said pendulum, said force applying means being brought into operation by precession of said gyroscope.

n a gyroscopic stabilizing system, a pendulous support, means comprising a motor and connections for exerting a torque on said support about one axis, means comprising a second motor and connections for exerting a torque on said support about a different axis and a gyro for controlling both means.

8. Means for stabilizing a plane comprising force-applying means, a single gyroscope mounted for precession about two axesand connections between said gyro and force-applying means, said connections being controlled by precession of said gyro.

9..In a stabilized gyroscopic pendulum, a single gyroscope mounted for precession about afplurality of axes, force-applying means adapted to apply a torque about a plurality of axes and means connecting said gyro and force-applying means whereby precession of the gyro about any one of its axes causes a torque to be applied about an axis at an angle to said last mentioned axis.

10.. In a gyroscopic pendulum, a single gyroscope mounted for precession about a plurality of axes and means for causing precession of said gyro about any! or all of said axes, the means for causing precession about any one axisbeing called into operation by I precession. of said gyro about the same axis.

11. In gyroscopic apparatus, the combination w1th a universally mounted gyroscope, a universally mounted pendulous member adjacent thereto, yielding means connecting said gyroscope and said member and means brought into action by movements of said gyroscope about at least one of its axes for causing torques to be applied thereon.

12. In gyroscopic apparatus, the combination with a gyroscope mounted for oscillation about a plurality of axes, a pendulous member mounted for oscillation about at least one axis, a yielding coupling'between said gyroscope and member about said last named axis, and means brought into action by relative movement of said gyroscope and pendulum about another axis for causing a torque to be applied about said first axis.

13. In combination, a pendulum, a gyroscope mounted for precession about a plurality of axeswith relation to said pendulum and a yielding connection between said gyro and pendulum whereby said pendulum may be stabilized.

14. In combination, a support mounted for oscillation, a frame mounted for oscilla- 1 5. In combination, a pendulum, means tion about a plurality of axes with respect for exerting torques on' said pendulum about to said support, a rotor rotatably mounted a plurality of axes andv a single gyroscope 10 in said frame, means controlled bysaid rofor controlling said means. I

5 tor for exerting a. torque on said support and In testimony whereof I have aflixed my yielding means connecting said frame and signature. support. I ELEMER MEITNER. 

